


Leap

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Angst and Feels, Angst and Romance, Badass Poe Dameron, Luke Skywalker Is An Asshole, M/M, POV Poe Dameron, Slow Burn Poe Dameron/Kylo Ren, some Knights of the old republic vibes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 22:53:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15716757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: After Ben comes to him after the fall of Luke’s Jedi Academy, Poe vows to go and, against all odds, bring the newly anointed Kylo Ren home.





	Leap

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Poe was awakened in that moment just by a knock on the door, and half-awake, he stumbled towards the door to answer it. When he opened it, Ben was there, and the first thing that Poe noticed was that honestly, he looked terrible. Wretched, really. His bloodshot eyes, his messy hair, his robes that looked torn and burnt. 

“Ben?” Poe’s voice was tentative. “What happened?”

”I killed them.” Ben said. He sounded so broken in that moment. So on the verge of teetering over the edge. “Most of them, at least."

”What do you mean?” Poe already felt ice in his veins. “Who’s ‘them’, Ben?”

”The students at Luke’s academy. I went to them for help. They got...scared when I told them what he...what he tried to do to me...”

”What are you talking about?” Poe said. “What did Luke try to do?”

”He tried to kill me.” Ben’s voice was shaking in that moment. “I woke up and he was standing over me with a lightsaber. His lightsaber ignited. H-he’s dead now. Or unconscious. I don’t know...”

Dear stars, this was not happening. It was some sort of nightmare. This wasn’t Ben. And Luke...Luke had always found ways to put Ben down, but trying to kill him? 

“Ben,” Poe said. “I can help you. Really.” He didn’t know how to do it. How could you help something like this? But he could try. 

“I have to go,” Ben said. “I can’t stay here. Someone will find me. Someone will kill me.”

”I won’t let them."

”Poe.” Ben said. “I...” He trailed off. Poe’s breath hitched; what was he about to say? Maybe the three words that he wanted Ben to say in that moment. The words that he’d felt recently.  _I love you._

Instead, Ben said, “Whatever happens, you’ll mean the galaxy to me. I promise.”

He embraces Poe, and Poe sighed almost contentedly as Ben pressed him to his broad chest.

”Be safe,” Ben said, withdrawing from Poe, and he vanished into the night, leaving Poe alone. 

***

Luke survived what Ben had done — apparently pulled a whole hut down on him, though the way Luke told it, Ben might as well have attacked first. Poe listened, gritting his teeth, already longing to stand up in front of everyone in his house and shout that Luke Skywalker was a liar.

Finally, he said, “Really? Funny thing is that Ben told me the opposite.”

”Of course he’d lie to you," Luke said. “It’s what Dark Siders like him do.”

“Ben’s not a liar,” Poe said. “I know him.”

”Do you?” There was something in Luke’s voice that seemed to change, become almost subtly unhinged. Poe found his stomach clenching. 

“Did you try to kill him?” Poe said. 

The breath of everyone but Poe and Luke in the room seemed to hitch. 

Luke actually seemed to waver. “You didn’t see what — ”

”I wouldn’t have tried to kill him in his sleep,” Poe said. “And after you thought your father was somehow redeemable. Ben did nothing wrong before that, and you tried to kill him. You’re not only a coward, but a hypocrite.”

A beat. Luke seemed torn between confirming what Poe said and objecting. 

Poe continued. “I’m gonna find him.”

”This is not going to go,” Luke said, “The way you think.”

Poe glared at him. “Maybe you’re not strong enough to fix your mistakes. But I definitely am.” 

“Poe, wait!”

Kes’ voice. But Poe was already heading towards the back door, towards the hangar. BB-8 rolled by his side even as he continued down the path. He thought he heard Han call after him, but he kept going, until he reached one of the ships. He climbed in with BB-8, and they blasted off.


End file.
